Print forges a deeper connection with readers

If you print and read this article you may become smarter!

Neurological studies have shown that print improves knowledge absorption and understanding. This could be due to the permanent state of the text or the physical sense of touch. Print forges a deeper connection with the reader. My colleagues and I have certainly noticed we are more successful in spotting errors when reading a hard copy proof!

We have all seen startling headlines such as “Social websites harm children’s brains!”

A neurological study led by British scientist Susan Greenfield, Professor of Pharmacology at Oxford University, monitored a group of people experiencing social and personal problems related to their internet use – they were typically online six hours a day. It found their brain wave responses to faces (compared to, say as a table or chair) were diminished. “… for these users, faces were of no more importance than every day inanimate objects, which made them less likely to read the non-verbal clues essential to human communication… “

Brands attempting to engage potential customers by provoking an emotional response should bear this in mind if they want to understand how consumers respond to media messages.

The conclusion is that the capacity for printed communications to connect with the human brain shows print will remain the go-to format for anyone wanting their words to have a deep and lasting impact. Print is superbly designed to help us understand messages too complex to be contained in 140 characters or a 30-second soundbite. It appears “…the smart reading device of the future may be paper…!”